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Ariadne and Bacchus. Source: Ruslan Gilmanshin / Adobe Stock

The Many Stories of Ariadne’s Life and Love

One of the largest Bronze Age archaeological sites in Crete is the palace ruins at Knossos. The passageways have an elaborate layout and one can still see murals that show a sport in which men would...
Stone Figures of Yandi and Huangdi, Yellow River Scenic Area, Zhengzhou, China. Source: Public domain

Mythical Ancient Emperors Who Fought Over the Birth of China

In Zhengzhou, China, stands a monumental testament to antiquity: a towering sculpture, reaching a staggering 106 meters (348 ft) in height. This awe-inspiring structure immortalizes two fabled...
Illustration of Paleolithic elephant hunting using spears.     Source: Dana Ackerfeld/Tel Aviv University

Stone, Water, and Elephants: Survival Secrets of Early Humans

Tel-Aviv University Archaeologists from Tel Aviv University have uncovered the mystery surrounding extensive Paleolithic stone quarrying and tool-making sites: Why did Homo erectus repeatedly revisit...
Large pre-Hispanic Olmec basalt carved head in the La Venta archeological park in Villahermosa Mexico.	Source: Barna Tanko

What Are the Contributions of the Olmecs to the World? (Video)

The Olmecs , an ancient Mesoamerican civilization predating the Aztecs and Mayas , left a profound mark on history despite the mysteries surrounding their origins and disappearance. Scholars agree...
Replica of the Hallaton Helmet. The original is set to be displayed at the Harborough Museum in Leicestershire, UK.	(Inset; the original helmet) Source: Harborough Museum (Inset; CC BY 2.0)

The 2,000-year-old Hallaton Helmet Is Reborn in Beautiful Reproduction

A Roman cavalry helmet, initially called a ‘rusty bucket’ has been replicated to show its former glory, 23 years after the original was found in a field in Leicestershire, England. The Hallaton...
Pangu - The Chinese god of creation. AI image. Source: Superhero Woozie/Adobe Stock

Pangu: Mythological Insights into the Chinese Creation Story

Pangu is a prominent figure in Chinese creation mythology. To this day, the Zhuang people sing a traditional song about Pangu creating the heavens and Earth. The origin of the Pangu myth has been...
View overlooking Göbeklitepe Building B.	Source: Dosseman/CC BY-SA 4.0

Anatolia: A Cradle of History and Rich Culture (Video)

Anatolia , nestled between the continents of Europe and Asia, is a veritable treasure trove of ancient civilizations and cultural heritage. Despite Herodotus's misconceptions, the region's historical...
Rock art showing a hunter-gatherer ritual dance; Kondoa, Tanzania. Source: Nick Longrich/The ConversationAnchor

Why Did Modern Humans Replace the Neanderthals?

By Nicholas R. Longrich/The Conversation Why did humans take over the world while our closest relatives, the Neanderthals, became extinct? It’s possible we were just smarter, but there’s surprisingly...
The Tigris River in Êlih-Hafizbiniyan. Source: CC BY-SA 3.0

Where the Garden of Eden Actually Could Have Been (Video)

The quest for the Garden of Eden, a mythical paradise mentioned in religious texts, leads us through a labyrinth of historical clues and archaeological findings. Genesis offers tantalizing but...
Painting of a fierce Amazonian woman leading her army into battle. Source: Pana/Adobe Stock

Burials in Azerbaijan Point to the Existence of Mythical Amazonian Women!

The legendary Amazons of ancient Greece emerged in classical literature around 3,000 years ago, notably mentioned in the 8th century BC in the Iliad. Despite their early literary presence, the dearth...
Persian Plateau, the most likely place where the ancestors of all present-day non-Africans lived for the 20,000 years that followed their migration Out of Africa. Source: Vallini et al/Nature

Scientists Make A Great Step Forward in the ‘Where After Africa?’ Question

A growing body of evidence indicates that our ancestors left Africa between approximately 70 to 60 thousand years ago. Yet, it wasn't until around 45,000 years ago that they spread across Eurasia...
Inventory of the Tetepilco church.   Source: Photo: ©SC, INAH, BNAH /INAH

Codices of San Andrés Tetepilco Recovered in Mexican Church

With proven authenticity that links them to the transition period between the 16th and 17th centuries, three pictographic documents called the Codices of San Andrés Tetepilco, among which one stands...
Representation of an ancient Egyptian temple passage lit by an exceptional light. Source: Konstantin / Adobe Stock

Egyptian Temples and the Order of Creation: Embodying Eternity in Time

The temples of ancient Egypt represent one of the most enduring monumental expressions of religion and cosmology in the history of the world, serving as the very heart of pharaonic culture for nearly...
Representational image of jousting horses. Source: Public domain

Jousting Horses Ridden by English Knights Came from Mainland Europe

Jousting was a popular sport among elites in medieval England, as anyone who has ever read a book or watched a movie about English knights in the Middle Ages is well aware. Jousters wore thick armor...
Oracle bone from the Bīn group of diviners from period I, corresponding to the reign of King Wu Ding (Shang dynasty). Source: Public Domain

How Did the Chinese Develop Their Writing System? (Video)

The Chinese writing system , originating during the Shang Dynasty around 1600 BC, is a testament to China's rich cultural heritage. Unlike alphabetic systems found in many Western languages, Chinese...
AI image of ancient humans communicating with primitive language and gestures. Source: fotogurmespb/Adobe Stock

Language Developed 8 Times Earlier Than Previously Thought, Says New Book

A landmark new book that has researched evolutionary and linguistic development of prehistoric humans, has found that language might be older almost 8 times over what was previously believed, i.e., 1...
Philip II banned Arabic in an attempt to quash Moorish heritage. Detail from the ceiling of the Hall of Kings at the Alhambra in Granada. Source: Rumomo / CC BY-SA 4.0

Philip II Outlawed Arabic to Try to Erase Moorish Heritage in Spain

The reign of Philip II of Spain stands as a pivotal era marked by religious fervor. In 1566, Philip II issued a decree that reverberated across the Iberian Peninsula. This edict not only outlawed the...
An amphora at the bottom of Kerpe’s ancient harbor in the Black Sea. Source: IHA / Anatolian Archaeology.

First Ever Scientific Underwater Excavation of Black Sea Reveals Ancient Harbor

In 2020, the first ever scientific underwater excavation ever undertaken in the Black Sea was started. Now, the results of that expedition are coming to light, revealing millennia-old artifacts and...
An Arab Slave ship in the Red Sea.	Source: Public Domain

Pirates of the Indian Ocean: The Red Sea Men (Video)

​ The saga of the Red Sea Men, pirates who ventured far beyond the Caribbean , unfolds as a tale of maritime adventure driven by the pursuit of riches and shifting geopolitics. Europe's thirst for...
Engraving of Cornelius Tacitus from a drawing by Brooke. Source: Public domain

Tacitus: The Master Chronicler of Ancient Rome

Publius Cornelius Tacitus, better known as just Tacitus, is arguably one of the most illustrious figures in Roman historiography. His writings cast a profound light on the intricacies and nuances of...
The Garamantes carved out a thriving civilization in one of the most inhospitable environments on Earth. Source: Superhero Woozie / Adobe Stock.

The Garamantes, Ancient Masters of the Hostile Sahara

In the heart of the Sahara desert, an arid wasteland the size of the US, it seems nothing can survive. But there were some who mastered this most inhospitable of landscapes, and turned an empty land...
Left, Painting of Euclid. Right, A page first printed edition of Euclid's Elements.           Source: Fondazione Cariplo/CC BY-SA 3.0; Erhard Ratdolt /CC BY-SA 4.0

Euclid and the Birth of Geometry

It’s no secret that many of us are not too fond of mathematics and geometry, and that it is often too complex. But even so, it can be pretty mind-blowing to look back in history and discover the...
Portrait of Tokugawa Ieyasu             Source: Public Domain

The Shogun - The True Story of Tokugawa Ieyasu (Video)

Amidst the turbulent backdrop of Japan's 16th and 17th centuries, Tokugawa Ieyasu emerged as a legendary figure, blending martial prowess with strategic finesse. Born in 1543, his early years were...
The foodstuffs found on the obsidian blades at Anakena in Rapa Nui suggest the islanders made the voyage to South America and returned. Source: F.C.G. / Adobe Stock.

Rapa Nui Obsidian Discovery: Did the Islanders sail to America?

It has long been thought that the people of Rapa Nui (popularly called Easter Island) lived a largely isolated existence, cut off from other lands by the vast and treacherous ocean. However a new...

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